Wire stretcher



Nov. 12, 1940. GITHOMPSW 2,221,277

WIRE STRETCHER Filed Sept. 25, 1939 ATTORNE-YS Patented Nov. 12, 1940 uNiTEo STATES PATENT FFCE.

WIRE STRETCHER George T. Thompson, Lake City, 0010. Application September 25, 1939, SerialNo. 296,507

2 Claims.

The object of this, my present invention, is the provision of a wire stretching tool to be used primarily in stretching line wires, for fences, or fabric fencing and the object of the invention is the provision of a tool for this purpose which is of an extremely simple nature, and which includes a lever member having a stationary jaw and a pivoted jaw, movable, when fulcrumed against a fence post toward the stationary jaw and to effect a tight biting or gripping engagement of the jaws with the wire, so that the greater pressure exerted upon the tool the greater will be such biting engagement of the fences by the jaws.

A further object is the provision of a tool for this purpose in which the movable jaw will be moved toward or away from the stationary jaw by the manipulation of a grip member which is associated with the lever of the tool and has a connection with the movable jaw.

To the attainment of the foregoing the invention consists in the improvement hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the improvement with the parts disassembled.

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the swingable aw.

Referrin now to the drawing in detail the numeral I designates the lever of the improvement. The lever is in the nature of a strong metal plate and has one of its ends formed with a handle portion 2. The lever, adjacent to its second end has fixed upon its opposite faces the inner arms 3 the ends of which are extended laterally, as at 4, and the said extensions have their outer edges toothed, as at 5. The members 4 provide the stationary jaws of the improvement. The swingable jaw comprises a member which consists of two metal plates 6 which are spaced from one another throughout a portion of their length and contact one another throughout another portion. The arms at their outer or connected ends are arched and curved rearwardly, as at l, and the second ends of the arms are formed with angle extensions 8 whose inner edges are toothed, as at 9. The arms 6 receive therebetween the outer end of the lever i and the said arms are pivoted to the lever, as indicated by the numeral I0. Pivoted, as at H, between the swingable jaw members 8 there is the flat end l2 of a rod IS. The second end of the rod is bifurcated and is pivotally secured to an ear l4 that depends from a grip or handle member IS. The end of the member I is offset opposite the ear I 4, as at I6, and is bifurcated. The bifurcated portion of the member l5 receives therein the lever I, adjacent to the handle member 2 thereof and a pivot l1 5 passes through the offset bifurcated portion N5 of the grip or handle member l5 and through the lever.

The .handle member I5 is only swung toward the lever when a wire strand I8 is to be held be- 10 tween the jaws, and prior to the stretching of such strand over a fence post l9. When in stretching position the arched or curved end 1 of the arms or body portion of the swingable jaw 8 is brought against the fence post so that the said post serves as a fulcrum element. The lever is swung in the direction of the arrow disclosed by Figure 1 of the drawing whichwill obviously cause the jaws 6 to be moved toward the stationary jaws d, and as a result the wire strand I 8 may be stretched along the post in an easy and positive manner.

It is believed the foregoing description will fully and clearly set forth the construction, operation and advantages of my improved device but obviously I do not wish to be restricted to the specific structure herein shown and described and, therefore, hold' myself entitled to make such changes therefrom as fairly fall within the scope of what I claim.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. A lever having a laterally extending fixed jaw thereon, a swingable jaw pivotally secured to the lever and disposed opposite the fixed jaw, said swingable, jaw having an arm extension, a rod member pivotally secured to the swingable jaw, and a handle member pivotally secured to the lever and to the rod member.

2. A lever, a pair of fixed jaws on the lever and having laterally extending ends the outer 40 ends of which are toothed, a member consisting of two metal plates being spaced from one another throughout a portion of their length and contacting one another throughout another portion forming a svvingable jaw pivoted tothe lever, said member having its outer ends arched and its inner ends formed with lateral extensions the outer edges of which are toothed and which extensions provide jaws that are arranged opposite the first named jaws, a rod guided between the fixed jaws and pivotally secured between the swingable jaws, and a handle pivoted on the lever and to which handle the rod is pivoted.

GEORGE 'r. THOMPSON. 

